Courtney H. Hodges
}}| }| }} }| }}} |- ! colspan="2" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center; background-color:#7990CC; color:#; border:1px solid #000;" |Commander - First Army, ca. 1945 |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; border:1px solid #000;" | }| }| }} }| }}} |- ! colspan="2" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center; background-color:#7990CC; color:#; border:1px solid #000;" |Four Star General Officer Flag |- |} Information Career Summary Dates of Rank *United States Army - Cadet USMA : 16 June 1904 - 17 June 1905 (01 year, 01 day) *United States Army - Enlistment - Infantry : 05 November 1906 - 20 November 1909 (03 years, 15 days) *United States Army - Commission - Infantry : 20 November 1909 - 02 May 1940 (30 years, 05 months, 12 days) *United States Army - Commission - General Staff Corps (temp.) : 03 May 1936 - 19 May 1938 (02 years, 16 days) *United States Army - Commission - General Officer : 02 May 1940 - 31 January 1949 (08 years, 08 months, 29 days) *National Army - Commission - Infantry : 17 June 1918 - 13 February 1920 (01 year, 07 months, 27 days) *Army of the United States - Commission - General Officer : 08 February 1943 - 31 January 1949 (05 years, 11 months, 23 days) Total = 43 year(s), 02 month(s), 29 day(s) Awards and Decorations |valign="top" | |} Battles/Wars Participation Mexican Expedition (15 Mar 1916 - 08 Jan 1917) World War I (06 Apr 1917 - 11 Nov 1918) *'European Theatre' **'Hundred Days Offensive' ***Lorraine 1918 ☆''' ****Anould Sector ****Saint-Dié Sector ****Villers-en-Haye Sector ***Battle of Saint-Mihiel '''☆ (Silver Star Medal) ***Meuse-Argonne Offensive ☆''' (Distinguished Service Cross) '''Aftermath of World War I (01 Dec 1918 - 03 Jul 1919) *Occupation of Trieve, Germany (12.01.1918 - 03.09.1919) *Occupation of Luxembourg (03.09.1919 - 07.03.1919) World War II (08 Dec 1941 - 02 Sep 1945) *'European Theater of Operations' **'West European Campaign' ***Invasion on Normandy ☆ △ ***Operation Overlord / Battle of Normandy ☆''' ****Falaise pocket ***Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine '''☆ ***Battle of Aachen (Bronze Star Medal) ***Battle of Hürtgen Forest ***Operation Queen ***Battle of the Bulge ☆''' ***Western Allied invasion of Germany '''☆ ****Ruhr Pocket **'Japan Campaign' ***Operation Downfall / Invasion of Japan (canceled) ☆''' = Awarded service star for participation. '''△ = Arrowhead device Foreign and Overseas Service *00 Oct 1911 - 1914 : Philippines *15 Mar 1916 - 08 Jan 1917 : Mexico *00 Apr 1917 - 1918 : Lorraine, France *01 Dec 1918 - 09 Mar 1919 : Trieve, Germany *09 Mar 1919 - 03 Jul 1919 : Luxembourg *03 May 1936 - 19 May 1938 : Philippines *25 Oct 1943 - 23 Nov 1943 : Sicily, Italy *29 Oct 1943 - 06 Jun 1944 : England *06 Jun 1944 - 24 May 1945 : France/Belgium/Germany *1945 - 1945: Philippines Quotes / Reflections General Omar N. Bradley said that upon meeting Hodges at the Point, he was "an August figure like Marshall and a man I admired almost equally." General Omar N. Bradley: called Hodges "my idea of a quintessential 'Georgian gentleman' and the most modest man I had ever met. A crack shot from childhood, he was then - and for years after - the Army's star in the national rifle matches." General Omar N. Bradley: "I had implicit faith in his judgement, in his skill and restraint." General Omar N. Bradley: "Out of all my Army commanders, he required the least supervision." General Omar N. Bradley: ...Hodges is "essentially a military technician whose faultless techniques and tactical knowledge made him one of the most skilled craftsman of my entire command...a general's general." (said to Montgomery when he wanted Hodges replaced) General Dwight D. Eisenhower: ..Hodges was "the quiet reticent type, and doesn't appear as aggressive as he really is. Unless he becomes exhausted, he will always wage a good fight." General Dwight D. Eisenhower: ...that "Hodges is exactly the same class of man as Bradley, in practically every respect. Wonderful shot, great hunter, quiet, self-effacing...with a thorough understanding of ground fighting." Ambassador Charles Lucet to Hodges wife, Mildred, on the passing of Hodges "I am deeply saddened by the shocking news of the passing of general Hodges. The unforgettable pages written by your husband in the history of the two world wars will always remind the French people that he was a remarkable symbol of the solidarity and warm feelings between our nations. We shall forever remember him with gratefulness and sorrow. Please accept in your bereavement the expression of my most sincere sympathy." Senator Strom Thurmond (3.9.1961): "I seriously doubt if very many people in the United States know that Hodges’ First Army had under its command more divisions (18) than had ever been under the immediate command of a single army commander before or since. The First Army was the first army in Europe in more than name: The First was the first to arrive on the beaches of Normandy; the first to break out of Normandy, the first to get to Paris, the first to arrive in Germany, the first to cross the Rhine, and the first to meet up with the Russians." Notes/Trivia *His grandfather, James Hodges, served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. *A distinguished Marksman, he often participating in competitions and hunts. *Was a member and later captain of the United States Infantry Rifle Team. *A noted history buff, Hodges was particularly knowledgeable in the American Civil War. *Hodges was in a small group of high ranking WWII generals to have had actual experience commanding troops in combat. (Having commanded a Battalion & Regiment during WWI) *Representative Elijah B. Lewis, of Georgia's 3rd District, appointed Hodges to the USMA *Hodges has a noticeable scar of his right jaw, which he received from a kick by a horse in his childhood. *A member of the Phi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. *Throughout WWII, he sacked ten division and two corps commanders (Charles H. Corlett, John Millikin). *Hodges refused two Purple Heart citations for being gassed during WWI (referring to the injuries as being 'sissy'). *As Chief of Infantry, Hodges promoted the adoption of the Bazooka, M-1 Carbine, M1 Helmet, and the use of Airborne troops. *''General Courtney Hodges Blvd, Perry, Georgia'' is names after him. *Hodges graduated from the Command & General Staff College in 94th place out of 258. *He logged in 250 hours in flight as an observer while stationed at the Air Corps Tactical School. *His wife, Mildred, was a descendent of General Robert E. Lee, who was among Hodges heroes. *Hodges ate typical southern "soul food", would have a drink after dinner, and smoked Chesterfield cigarettes. *His ancestors moved to North America from England in or around 1750. *Served as an honorary pallbearer for Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., along with Generals Eisenhower, Bradley, Patton, and Collins. *Instrumental in establishing the Officer Candidate School. *Hodges was scheduled to board a flight that crashed 17 July 1950, that killed Canadian Brigadier Harry H. Angle, but decided too cancel. Family Gallery Courtney H. Hodges (Image Gallery) References *Normandy to Victory: The War Diary of General Courtney H. Hodges and the First United States Army (William C. Sylvan) *Courtney Hicks Hodges: From Private to Four-star General in the United States Army (Stephan T. Wishnevsky) *Courtney Hodges: Modest Star of World War II (G. Patrick Murray) *A Command Post at War: First Army Headquarters in Europe, 1943-1945 (David W. Hogan, Jr.) *Eisenhower's Lieutenants: The Campaign of France and Germany 1944-1945 (Russell R. Weigley) *The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the United States Army *Official Registers for the United States Army, 1908 - 1966 (Office, the Adjutant General) *Courtney H. Hodges papers, Eisenhower Library *http://generals.dk/general/Hodges/Courtney_Hicks/USA.html *http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/chhodges.htm *http://www.3ad.com/history/courtney.hodges/index.htm *http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWhodgesC.htm Category:United States Army Officers Category:Distinguished Service Cross Category:Army Distinguished Service Medal Category:Silver Star Category:Bronze Star Medal Category:Order of the Liberator General San Martin Category:Order of Leopold Category:Cross of War (Belgium) Category:Order of the Bath Category:National Order of the Legion of Honour Category:Cross of War (France) Category:Order of the Oak Crown Category:Order of Suvorov